Tackling inequality in Ealing and Acton
The Equality Trust is right to ask Parliamentary candidates to make a pledge to work to tackle inequality in our society, if they are elected on 6th May. I can claim to be the only candidate with the right ideas on how to tackle inequality in Ealing & Acton. Why?According to the Libdems, Labour and the Conservatives (LibLabCons!), inequality is all about the differences in the amount of money in our pockets and bank balance figures. To that extent, the argument goes; the problem can be rectified by giving miserable increases in weekly benefits and tax credits. Consequently, the issue of inequality, like other social policy issues, has become a political football to be kicked around by the main parties for short term electoral advantages.No wonder inequality has been increasing in Ealing and Acton. ‘Independent Ealing and Acton Communities for Public Services’ which I represent strongly believe that real inequality is in our abilities or lack of abilities to access quality public services including housing, education, health-care, transport, provisions for young families, well-paid jobs, care for older and other vulnerable people. These cannot be solved by giving more weekly benefits and tax credits. They need strategic long-term planning, involving local communities.For example, while canvassing in South Acton estate, the local residents gave me a catalogue of problems including old and inhabitable tower blocks, insufficient health and safety facilities, poor transport, drug and alcohol misuse, overcrowding, boarded-up flats, and thousands of young men who were not in education, training or employment (NEAT). I was informed that these problems had been accumulating since the last Tory government, which used to blame the poor for their poverty!Today, Mr David Freud, the author of Labour’s controversial welfare reforms, has become an advisor to the Tories, having defected to them last year, carrying his file along. No wonder that Labour and the Tories’ welfare policies are the same!Even if their policies were different, the Labour, Tory and Libdem candidates would not be able to do much, if anything about inequality in Ealing and Acton, if they were elected. The Three-Line Whip system which is used by all the parties will compel them to speak and vote the way their parties want, not the way you want. Moreover, their powerful corporate and non-domicile funders (The Trade Unions, big businesses, Lord Ashcroft and Lord Paul, Michael Brown for the Libdems etc) will certainly expect them to vote in a particular way, if only to pay back the money that was used to support their campaigns. After all, he who pays the piper calls the tune!In other words, the Labour, Conservative and Libdem candidate are nothing more than the local agents of vested interests. Consequently, a vote for the “LibLabCons” will be a wasted vote that will do nothing to address inequality in Ealing and Acton.By contrast, with no party Whip or millionaire funders to influence my actions, I will freely speak and vote with other independent-minded MPs to tackle inequality in Ealing and Acton.My vote will become even more critical in the event of a hung parliament. It will be the magic vote that will carry or sink any Bill, depending on how it affects efforts to reduce inequality.Finally, it is worthy to note that I was effectively and Apprentice MP from January 2010 until March 2010 when I resigned my post as a Parliamentary Officer to contest this election. I will be ready to participate in the legislative processes from day one, if electedMeanwhile, I will leave you with this inequality-focused tune ‘Remake the World’ by Jimmy Cliff. It goes: “Too many people are suffering; too many people are sad; too little people have everything; while too many people got nothing - put your conscience to the test; get racism out of your sight - be you black, be you white - let us remake the world", You could be forgiven for thinking that Jimmy Cliff had today’s South Acton and West Ealing in mind when he wrote the song over 30 years ago! Please listen to the tune on my campaign websitehttp://www.ealingactoncommunity.com/wp/?cat=23
Sam Akaki ● 5989d0 Comments ● 5989d